Romuald shot a beautiful VR scene of an erupting volcano, from the air via an ultra light.
Category: Travel
Saturday in the Sun – Monona Terrace
A very Madison scene, from Monona TerraceMap
12th Century Swedish Church VR Scene
Jonas Carlson shares a beautiful Quicktime VR scene of the convent church of Varnhem in Sweden.
Paradise off Highway 10
The Hertz airport shuttle brought a must unexpected surprise today. The inquisitive driver asked if I was flying to Denver. No, I said, San Francisco was my destination. “It will be 40 degrees cooler there than it is here in Phoenix.” I replied that it was 107 last night, when I landed.
“My place is wonderful, and cool. I have cottonwoods on my property which provide a very pleasant shade. In fact, during June, I put up a hammock under the cottonwoods, setup a fan and slept outside at night with my three golden retrievers. Beautiful.”
Where might this paradise be?
“50 miles west of Phoenix, 2 miles north of I-10, the other side of the White Mountains. I bought the 10 acres 50 years ago for $250.00 (!). I bought it and planted those cottonwoods.” My annual property tax bill is $60.00. Those golden retrievers keep an eye on the property during the day.
How’s the commute?
“I drive 65 (the I-10 speed limit is 75). I arrive before all those people flying past me.”
I asked if civilization has encroached on his paradise?
“There’s no one within 5 miles.”
With that, I continued my journey to San Francisco.
San Francisco Ferry Building Photos
San Francisco’s Ferry Building recently re-opened after an extensive (and well done) renovation. I took a walk through the building and snapped these photos recently.
I noticed a growing selection of soy milk products in one of the establishments.
Tin Can Tourists or life on the road
Jack Kerouac wrote: “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”
His words are the creed of the RV set also known as Tin Can Tourists, Gypsies and Escapees. These ramblers whittle their lives down to the bare necessities, have a yard sale, sell the house, grab the kids, stuff themselves into a thirty foot home on wheels and hit the road.
Some move on every three days, some stay a month or more and work, some home-school the kids parked beside the Grand Canyon. Once they’ve tasted life like this, they don’t want it any other way
Beside a Wisconsin Lake
Christine Cozzens on visiting Lake Manitowish.
Stunning Apollo 11 VR Scene
Kudos to Hans Nyberg. Nyberg put together a stunning Quicktime VR scene of Apollo 11’s moon landing from old NASA photographs.
25lbs of King Crab
Travel can often be interesting. This evening, I sat next to a retired executive returning home from two weeks panning for gold in Nome, AK. He mentioned that he had 25lbs of king crab in the cargo hold ($4.99/lb) just off the boat….
Dining in Santa Fe
Dave Winer is in Santa Fe. The excellent India Palace restaurant features delicious East Indian cuisine. The Fodors says:
Even seasoned veterans of East Indian cuisine have been known to rate this deep-pink, art-filled restaurant among the best in the United States. The kitchen prepares fairly traditional recipes — tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, saag paneer (spinach with farmer’s cheese), shrimp biryani (tossed with cashews, raisins, almonds, and saffron rice) — but the presentation is always flawless and the ingredients fresh. Meals are cooked as hot or mild as requested. Try the Indian buffet at lunch. AE, D, MC, V.
-Fodors